It’s official. The NFL is allowing its players to participate in the flag football competition at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. This is a significant milestone for the sport’s standing in the global athletic arena. Now, players can represent their home country, with each NFL team allowed to have one player on a national roster.
Yes, think of a team with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, DK Metcalf, and their ilk squaring off against anyone. The move is part of the NFL’s wider strategy to promote flag football worldwide and boost its popularity among a potentially larger audience.
NFL’s Decision on 2028 Summer Olympics Flag Football Team
Insider Ian Rapoport broke the news on Threads, saying, “What we thought was happening is now happening, and it’s official and pretty awesome.”
The league unanimously approved the use of NFL players in the 2028 Olympics for flag football. In Rapoport’s words, “The NFL’s version of The Dream Team is coming.”
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The NFL has been working hard to grow flag football at the grassroots level. NFL FLAG has expanded to include over 500,000 kids nationwide, focusing on girls’ participation. The inaugural NFL FLAG High School Girls Showcase was featured at the 2025 Pro Bowl.
In 2024, 12 under-12 international teams from countries including Australia, Brazil, China, and the UK played in the IFAF Flag Football World Championship. The NFL replaced the old exhibition game in pads with flag football competitions, signaling a shift in emphasizing player safety and entertainment in exhibition events.
The 2028 Summer Olympics’ flag football competition will have six men’s and six women’s teams, each with 10 players, in a 5-on-5 structure.
MORE: 7 Best NFL Players Who Could Play Flag Football for Team USA in 2028 Olympics
Whether or not NFL players will automatically be placed on teams has not been made clear, but current national team members are skeptical that NFL players can easily take their positions. For his part, current U.S. National Team quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette doesn’t think NFL players can automatically make the team.
“We just don’t think they’re going to be able to walk on the field and make the Olympic team because of the name,” he told The Guardian. “They still have to go out there and compete.”
Speaking with TMZ in August 2024, he went further. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’m better than Patrick Mahomes because of my IQ in the game.”
The Olympics don’t mark the end of the NFL’s movement on flag football; it’s just a big milestone. Plans are underway to develop professional leagues for men and women.
The 2028 Summer Olympics are only three years away, but it is clear that football will have an active presence in the global event. All that is left is to find out which NFL stars want to represent their respective country in the new competition.